Transportation officials met with residents and property owners in Normandy Thursday about a new project that will reduce vehicle traffic and increase pedestrian and bicycle use on Natural Bridge Road.
The so-called Great Streets project will reduce the roadway between North Hanley and Lucas and Hunt Roads from five lanes to three, as well as add a wider sidewalk and a bike trail. Lee Hillner, the project manager for the Missouri Department of Transportation, says the city of Normandy, St. Louis County and the University of Missouri-St. Louis support the changes.
"The concept is to balance the roadway as far as all of the user needs, where right now the roadway really leans more towards vehicles, cars than it does pedestrians and cyclists," Hillner said.
Hillner says the changes will impact about 20 properties along Natural Bridge Road.
"We’re not going to have to purchase full properties. We’re just taking small strips of land right up next to the roadway in order to make all this fit and most of that is in the area between Florissant Road – or the wedge -- over to Lucas and Hunt because that particular section of roadway, the right of way is narrower for whatever reason," Hillner said.
The cost of the $13 million project is being shared by MoDot, Great Rivers Greenway and St. Louis County. Natural Bridge Road is a state highway maintained by MoDot.
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